Removing tool



D- W- COOKE REMOVING TOOL Nov. 18, 1952 Filed May 1, 1951 Patented Nov.18, 1952 UNITED TES PATENT: OFFICE.

Douglas W. Cooke,-Manhattan Beach, Calif., as- Signor to NorthropAircraft, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California 1Application May 1, 1951, Serial No. 223,851

Theypresent invention relates to tools and more specifically to anoveland useful'tool for removing diodes and the like from-electroniccomputers, for inspection or replacement.-

Diodes are generally used in great numbers in electronic computers, forexample, and the type used in the present example consists mainly ofsmall cylindrical members having short poles extending axially from eachend thereof, mounted in banks in friction clips on panels which areusually interspersed throughout the computer. In many cases the panelsare situated in areas of the computer which are highly inaccessible.Furthermore, in the interest of compactness and practicability thepanels to which the diodes are fastened are usually spaced closelytogether, making removal of most of the diodes by hand extremelydifficult. Also, because of the construction of the friction clips whichwill be described later in this specification, the diodes can be removedfromthe clips at right angles to the panel only, which necessitatesspecial consideration as to the action of any satisfactory removal tool.

An object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a tool for easilyand efficiently removing diodes and the like, which are located invarious regions of a computer for example, which will also maintain afirm hold on the diode after removal and prevent its accidently fallinginto the innermost regions of the mechanism.

Briefly, the present invention, in one preferred form, is a tool whichemploys a pair of winglike fulcrum elements having a rigid lever memberconnected thereto which is curved to partially encircle the periphery ofa germanium type diode fastened to a panel by friction clips at each endthereof. A spring member is positioned adjacent the lever member tocooperate therewith, by maintaining a grip on the diode during theremoval thereof. When the lever member is applied to the diode, thefulcrum elements bear on the panel surface on each side of the clipsretaining the diode; the lever usually being positioned between thepanel and the diode to pry the diode in a direction away from the panel.

Means for rotating the lever member is connected thereto, and as thelever member is 1'0- tated, the fulcrum elements bearing on the panelsurface rockably slide thereon toward the clips thus forcing the diodeoutwardly from the clips at substantially right angles to the panel. Thelever rotating means can conve niently be a handle.-

The -present-invention will 'be more clearly Claims.

2 understood by referring to the specification drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, with some of the panels partially cutaway, of one preferred form of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the tool of Figure 1,in profile, in two steps of the removal of a diode.

Referring first to Figure 1, germanium type diodes ID, in one embodimentsuch as are commonly used in electronic computers, consist mainly of arelatively small cylindrical body II having a pole I2 of substantiallysmaller diameter than the body I I, extending axially from each endthereof. The diodes I0 are usually mounted closely adjacent a panel I4firmly positioned between a pair of friction clips I5 fastened in thepanel I 4 in uniform rows thereon, and projecting at right anglesoutwardly therefrom. Each clip I5, as best shown in Figure 2, is usuallyin the form of an elongated rectangular member divided axially into twoparallel elements I6, which are joined at one end only, and spacedslightly closer together than the diameter of a diode pole I2. Asomewhat arcuate portion I1 is cutaway from each element I6, oneopposite the other, adjacent the open end I9 of the clip, to fit aroundopposite sides of the periphery of the diode pole I2.

The pairs of clips I5 are spaced apart, one parallel of the other, by adistance slightly greater than the length of the diode body II.

The diodes ID in the ,present example are usually inserted into theclip-s I5, the poles I2 being placed at the openings I9 intermediate thepar allel elements It and pressed inwardly toward the panel I lspreading the clip elements it on each side of the opening I8 apart.When the vpoles I2 are firmly seated in the arcuate portions I1, theclip elements I6 resume their normal positions.

To remove the diodes It from the clips I5, the present invention in theembodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 employs a rigid lever member 2%positioned at one end of an elongated handle M of relativelynon-resilient material. The lever member 20 is curved to fit around aportion of the peripheryof the diode body I Ib adjacent the panel- I4and intermediate'the clips I5 at each end-of the diode Iii." Asubstantially resilient springmember 22' is connected to the handle 2Iadjacent the lever 26 and in the present example is curved at .the outerend thereof to fit around the opposite sideof the diode body II. Thetips site directions to permit the diode I to be inserted and grippedtherein-between.

A pair of wing shaped fulcrum segments 25 are provided on the handle 2|adjacent the lever 20 and are formed to bridge the diode I!) and contactthe panel 14 on each side thereof. The contact portions 26 of thefulcrum segments 25 are rounded to permit free slidingof the portions 26on the panel [4 surface, and are spaced by a distance from the handle 2|to allow the engagement of the lever 20 with the diode l0 placing theopposite end of the handle 2| well forward of the lever 20 so that whenthe diode I0 is firmly gripped between the lever 20 and spring 22'andthe handle 2| is moved toward the panell l, the fulcrum contact points26 slidably bear against the panel I4 prying the diode l0 out of theclips l away from the panel 14 and at right angles thereto, the diode I0beingfirmly gripped in the end of the tool. v p

1 It is at once apparent that here is ahighly useful tool, which can bemade to reach'into highly inaccessible areas of complex electronicequipment by bending the handle 'tovarious desired angles, and in whicheven the'fulcrum members can be positioned at any point-between the endsof the handle, or placed forwardly of the lever member to reverse theremoving action; Many heretofore unobvious useful operations in otherapplications will doubtless become apparent in view of the foregoingdisclosure.

Whatisclaimed r l. A tool for removing a cylindrical member removablyfastened adjacent a panel, between a pair of friction clips, one at eachend thereof, comprising-fulcrum means adapted to bridge saidmember to'slidably bear on said panel adjacent each end of said' member, a leverof relatively non-resilient material connected to said fulcrum'means,said lever being shaped to partially fit around said member intermediatesaid member and' said panel, resilient means connected to saidfulcrummeans adjacent said lever, said re'silient meansbeing adapted tocooperate with said lever to grip said member when said lever is applied'to said member for removal thereof, and actuating means connected torotate said lever in a direction away fromsaid panel, said fulcrum meanssliding on said panel toward said clips prying said member outwardlyfrom said clips in a direction away from said panel. I

2.'A' tool for removing a cylindrical member removably held by frictionclips at each end thereof, said clips being mounted closely adjacent toa panel, which comprises an elongated handle of relatively non-resilientmaterial, a rigid lever positioned at one end of said handle, said leverbeing shaped to partially encircle said member between said clips, saidlever being positioned around said member intermediate said member andsaid panel, resilient means connected to said handle adjacent saidlever, said meansbeingformed with respect to said lever, said meanscooperating with said lever to grip said member therebetween, andfulcrum means, said fulcrum means being provided on said handle adjacentsaid lever, said fulcrum means bearing on said panel on each side ofsaid member adjacent said clips, said fulcrum means being spaced by adistance from said handle to permit the engagement of said lever withsaid member, the end of said handle opposite said lever being positionedforwardly of said lever with said fulcrum me ans 'slidably bearing onsaid ,panel,

whereby-when said handle is moved toward said rigid lever positioned onone end of said handle,

said' lever being shaped to partially encircle said member around theperiphery thereof between said'engaging means, a spring of substantiallyresilent material connected to said handle adjacent said lever, saidspring being shaped to admit said member between said spring and saidlever, said spring being curved to contact said partially encircledmember and firmly grip said member in saidlever, and a pairof alarfulcrum elements, said elements being connected to said handle, one oneach side of said lever, said elements bearing on saidpanel intermediatesaid lever and'the center of said handle, said elements sliding towardsaid clips on said panel wheni said handle is moved to pry said memberlinearly from said clips;

4. Artool for use in removing a cylindrical member removably held byspring clips at each end thereof, closely adjacent a panel to which saidclips are attached, which'comprises a handle of relativelynon-resilient'material, said handle having at one end thereof a'portioncurved to fit around a portion of one of said members, a resilientelement attached to the same end of said handle curved to fit around anopposite portion of said member, the outer end of said resilient elementbeing flared outwardly to permit separation of said curved portions sothat said member can be gripped by said portions, and a fulcrum portionattached to said handle adjacent said curved portion and sized to bearon said panel with said handle at an angle thereto when said curvedportions are fitted around one of said members spring clipped to saidpanel, whereby when said handle is moved to a positionmore nearlyparallel with said panel, said member will be pried outwardly at a rightangle from said panel and be removed from said spring clips.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein' said tool is madecapable of removing one of: saidmembers from'a pluralityof said membersclosely spaced with said axes parallel, by having said fulcrum portionmade from a pair of wing portions spaced across: said handle bya-distance where said wing members will bridge the next adjacent member,to bear on said panel on each'side of the clip members holding said nextadjacent member, and when moved will slide so that fulcrum point ismoved toward said memberdirecting' said member'outwardly at a rightangle from said panel.

DOUGLAS W. COOKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

j v UNITED STATES. PATENTS I Date

